Tuesday, February 28, 2017

2017 event sponsorships available


As we begin our planning for 2017 we want to thank our wonderful past sponsors. We are fortunate to have the Franklin community's support year after year, and without it we would not be able to continue our many events like the Strawberry Stroll, Harvest Festival and Holiday Stroll. And, of course, Beautification!

This year we are having the Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 14th, with a rain date of the 15th.  This will be the largest event in Franklin and we are hoping to attract more than 8,000 visitors.  We hope you will consider sponsoring this popular festival or one of our other signature events.

If you want to sponsor our events, please let us know so we can plan accordingly. Here are our Sponsorship Opportunities sheet and the Sponsorship Registration Form.  
Please contact the FDP office at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com if you have questions.  We would be happy to meet with you to talk about sponsorship opportunities.
Thank you again for your continued support!





Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Save the Date: May 21 FDP Progressive Dinner




Downtown Progressive Dinner to be May 21

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is planning a Progressive Dinner for Sunday, May 21, beginning at 5 p.m.  Building upon the success of the organization’s first two dinner events, the FDP is looking forward to an evening celebrating downtown Franklin and its eateries.

Diners will begin their culinary tour of the downtown with a soup or salad at one restaurant, and then stroll down the street to a second restaurant to sample an appetizer selection. Groups will then move to a third restaurant to enjoy an entrée, dessert, a silent auction and raffle and some excellent local entertainment.

The Partnership is currently looking for sponsors of the Progressive Dinner. Gold sponsorship is $300, Silver sponsorship is $200 and Bronze sponsorship is $100. Businesses or groups interested in backing the event should contact the FDP office at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com.

Tickets for this event will go on sale in April and organizers will announce the details on the FDP website, www.franklindowntownpartnership.org, and on Facebook and Twitter. Contact event organizer Jane Curran at janeframe@verizon.net for more information.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a nonprofit, 501©3 organization made up of more than 200 business owners, community leaders and residents working to stimulate economic development downtown and create a positive impact throughout the area. Learn more about the Partnership’s events, including the Strawberry Stroll, Harvest Festival and Holiday Stroll, at www.franklindowntownpartnership.org.


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Monday, February 13, 2017

Networking Luncheon on Tuesday, 2/14

Please join us for a Networking Luncheon on Tuesday, February 14 at 1 p.m. 

Enjoy a delicious lunch at the Dean College Dining Center for $6.55 on Valentine's Day! 

Meet fellow members, create collaborations and share ideas with other business owners in town. 

RSVP to Matt Lechter, mlechter@dean.edu, or Gary Donelan, gary.donelan@middlesexbank.com.


Thursday, February 9, 2017

2017 FDP Events Press Release


The Franklin Downtown Partnership announces its 2017 dates for the Strawberry Stroll, a Saturday Harvest Festival, Holiday Stroll, Spring and Winter Beautification days, and two Progressive Dinners. The Partnership also announces its General Meeting dates and Spring Networking Luncheons, all of which are open to the public.

Downtown Beautification Day will be Saturday, May 20, 8:00 a.m. – 1 p.m. The Partnership, the Franklin Garden Club and volunteers will install hundreds of flowers and greens throughout downtown and on the Common. Community service hours will be available to students. Contact Eileen Mason, emason4234@gmail.com, for more information about the event, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities. Winter Beautification Day will be Sunday, November 19.

The third Downtown Franklin Progressive Dinner will be Sunday, May 21, beginning at 5 p.m. Groups of diners will celebrate Franklin’s food and entertainment options by enjoying appetizers, soup or salad, dinner and dessert at three different downtown restaurants. Guests will wrap up their dining tour with local entertainment and a silent auction. Menus and ticket information will be available on the FDP website and social media closer to the event date. To learn more or be involved in the event please contact Jane Curren at janeframe@verizon.net. Another progressive dinner will be scheduled for September.

The 14th annual Strawberry Stroll will happen Thursday, June 8, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Join your neighbors and friends as we welcome warmer weather with the Downtown Partnership’s mouth-watering Strawberry Shortcakes, enjoy live entertainment and shop a sidewalk sale. If you would like to sponsor this event please contact event Co-chair Nicole Fortier, nfortier@deanbank.com.

Now that the Streetscape Project is completed, the Downtown Partnership is happy to announce the weekend-day Harvest Festival is back for this year. The festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 14, from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. In case of rain, the Harvest Festival will be held Sunday, October 15. Business and community group booths, games, a YMCA children’s area, delicious food, fall crafts, and live local entertainment will draw thousands of people downtown for a great afternoon with their neighbors. Beth Simon and Scott Martin will co-chair this festival.

The family favorite Holiday Stroll will be Thursday, December 7, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. The FDP’s holiday celebration will include a tree lighting ceremony, visits from Santa, his elves and Mrs. Claus, gift shopping, holiday crafts for kids, live entertainment, and food and drink specials. Roberta Trahan will chair this event.

All FDP events and beautification efforts are possible thanks to business and resident memberships, donations and sponsorships. Franklin residents can join the Partnership for $25, and business memberships start as low as $100. Membership dues and donations are tax deductible. Check the FDP website, www.franklindowntownpartnership.org, for an application.

The FDP General Meetings will be February 2, April 6, June 1 and September 7. The Thursday meetings will be held at 8:30 a.m., with the exception of September’s meeting, which will be in the evening; all meetings are held at the Dean College Campus Center. The Partnership invites business owners, organization leaders and all interested residents to come learn more about issues affecting downtown Franklin.

The FDP Networking Luncheons are an inexpensive and delicious venue to make connections, share business ideas and develop partnerships with other Franklin area business people. This spring’s events are scheduled for February 14, March 14, April 11 and May 2; all luncheons take place on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. in the Smith Dining Center at Dean College. Matt Lechter, mlechter@dean.edu, and Gary Donelan, gary.donelan@middlesexbank.com, co-chair the networking efforts.

More information about each event, meeting, sponsorship, membership and volunteer opportunities can be found at www.franklindowntownpartnership.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FranklinDowntownPartnership.org or on Twitter at @FranklinDowntwn.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership is a nonprofit, 501©3 organization made up of business owners, community leaders and residents working to stimulate economic development downtown and create a positive impact throughout the area. The FDP currently has more than 200 members and welcomes all businesses and residents. For more information, please contact Executive Director Lisa Piana at downtown.franklin@yahoo.com. 


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Friday, February 3, 2017

102.9 FM - New Radio Station in Franklin





Congratulations to Franklin TV and Executive Director Pete Fasciano on the launch of the new public access radio station! 102.9 FM WFPR went live Thursday at exactly 10:29 a.m., broadcasting music to a Franklin-area audience. A mix of programming, including news and content from various Franklin TV shows, will also air later this year. 

The Milford Daily News ran the following news story Thursday night (subscription may be needed to read entire story):


New radio station launches in Franklin 
By 

FRANKLIN - At 10:29 exactly Thursday morning, a new sound hit the Franklin airwaves. 
Franklin TV Executive Director Peter Fasciano, sitting in a small shelter on Forge Hill, struck a few keys on a laptop, cueing a brief announcement about a new radio station and its mission. With that, the programming switched to music, and 102.9 FM WFPR - Franklin Public Radio - was born. 
This marked the culmination of a multi-year process, Fasciano said, with the first steps taken back in 2012. Efforts accelerated last summer, with the public access station working with federal agencies and local boards to approve the antenna's location and prepare for broadcasting. 
The town then had to erect the antenna - which sits near a number of cell towers on the hill - and the utility company had to run power to it. With those steps done, everything was in place.